SecureMachttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/6263/all
enPrivacyScan Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/privacyscan_review
<!--paging_filter--><h3>Keep your online activities under wraps</h3><p>I’ve never been too paranoid about privacy. I use a club card in the grocery store, fully aware that my purchase habits are being tracked--but I don’t care if I can save a dollar on cereal. My car flies through the tollbooths at the Bay Area bridges thanks to my FasTrak device, which I guess could be used to track my movements if I ever murdered someone. Don’t worry; I’m not planning to--it’s just that I remember that happening on Law &amp; Order once.<br /><br />And while I know that my browsing history could be read by anyone who can access my computer, and third-party cookies can be used to target online advertising toward me, it’s hard for me to get excited about that. Most online ads are easy to ignore, I can install AdBlock on my browsers to hide them, and every browser I’ve used lets you manually clear that data anyhow.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2012/05/Reviews/privacyscan-screen.jpg" width="620" height="402" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PrivacyScan’s handy tooltips make it incredibly easy to use.</strong></p><p>SecureMac’s PrivacyScan probably isn’t for me, then. At <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fprivacyscan%252Fid494950833%253Fmt%253D12%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">$4.99 in the Mac App Store</a>, it’s more likely for people who want to be extra, super, ultra sure that every scrap of privacy-leaking info is scrubbed from their Mac: browsing history, cookies, caches, Flash cookies, temporary files, even the Recent Items lists in QuickTime, Preview, and the Finder. <br /><br />The app is dead-simple to use. On your first run, the setup wizard walks you through every option, including what applications it’ll attempt to clean. Supported browsers include major players Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, as well as more niche browsers like Camino, Flock, iCab, OmniWeb, SeaMonkey, and Shiira. Tip bubbles clearly explain all of it. If you want to change the app’s behavior later on, the cleanly designed Preferences window lets you tweak the settings for each application.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2012/05/Reviews/privacyscan-screen1.jpg" width="620" height="509" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Click the trash can to clean the threats.</strong></p><p>Then you just hit a Play button to start the scan, which doesn’t take long, and a list of “threats” pops up with checkboxes that let you exclude things from being “cleaned,” which means deleted. If you want the deleted files overwritten, PrivacyScan can “shred” them, overwriting each file with one, seven, or even 35 passes, but that takes longer.<br /><br />Our first scan found web browsing history, caches, download history, last session information and tabs, recent searches, and so on. Little animations show those things being “shredded,” but feel free to skip those (and the sound effects) in the setup wizard. The effect adds nothing.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2012/05/Reviews/privacyscan-screen2.jpg" width="430" height="300" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The setup wizard explains everything.</strong></p><p>PrivacyScan will warn you when you’re about to clean cookie files, as doing so will log you out of websites. Weirdly, we got this dialog even when we hadn’t asked PrivacyScan to look for cookies.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line. </strong>PrivacyScan is a handy way to clean all of your browsers at once, and overwrite the deleted files. But if you don’t care about overwriting, you probably don’t care enough to spend $5 on something you could do yourself with a few more clicks.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fprivacyscan%252Fid494950833%253Fmt%253D12%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30" target="_blank">PrivacyScan</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
SecureMac </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://privacyscan.securemac.com" target="_blank">privacyscan.securemac.com</a></p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
$4.99; &lt;a href=&quot;http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=ApuPaiKIpxg&amp;offerid=146261&amp;type=3&amp;subid=0&amp;tmpid=1826&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fprivacyscan%252Fid494950833%253Fmt%253D12%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30&quot; target=&quot;Mac App Store&quot;&gt;Available in the Mac App Store&lt;/a&gt; </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>64-bit processor, Mac OS 10.6.6 or later</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Inexpensive. Easy to use.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>History cleaning wasn’t always complete. Most people probably don’t need to use this. Must quit browsers to run.</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/privacyscan_review#commentsReviewsAppLifeinternet privacymac app storemac app store reviewsMac securityprivacySecureMacSecuritySoftwareUtilityMacWed, 11 Apr 2012 16:33:10 +0000Susie Ochs13691 at http://www.maclife.comPodcast #165: Twenty-One Years Ago Todayhttp://www.maclife.com/article/podcast_165_twentyone_years_ago_today
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="sites/future.p2technology.com/files/imce-images2/podcast_220.jpg" width="220" height="219" class="graphic-right" />The <em>Mac|Life</em> staff celebrate the Giants win with a hearty "yeah!" and share ideas on getting David Hasselhoff to follow them on Twitter. Susie and Flo also discuss the wonder of the new Sesame Street short, and the gang shares their fond memories of their first portable Macs. Also, Ray cautions against NudeRunner-Girl.</p><p>Plus, we answered a few reader calls, and your questions from Twitter and Facebook.</p><p><br /><br /><br />This week's <strong>Battlestar Applactica</strong> picks:</p><p><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/npr-music/id378195188?mt=8" target="_blank">NPR Music</a> - Free</strong><br /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rat-on-a-scooter-xl/id342699962?mt=8" target="_blank"><br /></a><strong><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wikihow-how-to-diy-survival/id309209200?mt=8" target="_blank">WikiHow</a> - Free</strong><br /><br /></p><p>Hey! Did you dress up as something cool for Halloween? Tell us about it! <a href="http://facebook.com/maclife" target="_blank">Visit our Facebook page</a> and leave us your photo on the wall, or just leave a message on the <em>Mac</em>|<em>Live</em> question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit the length of your messages to 1 minute max. We'll review them and feature our favorites, along with responses, on next week's podcast. <br /><br />Got a question and don't feel like leaving us a voicemail? Drop us a question via Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/maclife" target="_blank">twitter.com/maclife</a>.</p><p>To subscribe to the <em>Mac</em>|<em>Live</em> podcast series through an RSS feed, click <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/maclife/audio/" target="_blank">here</a>; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=252335711" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /><br /><br /></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/podcast_165_twentyone_years_ago_today#commentsApp StoreAppsfree appsScoscheSecureMacMac|Live PodcastListenMac|Life StaffPodcast #165: Twenty-One Years Ago TodayThe Mac|Life staff celebrate the Giants win with a hearty "yeah!" and share ideas on getting David Hasselhoff to follow them on Twitter. Susie and Flo also discuss the wonder of the new Sesame Street short, and the gang shares their fond memories of their first portable Macs. Also, Ray cautions against NudeRunner-Girl. apps, free apps, app store, scosche, securemacno00:29:07Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:33:11 +0000Mac|Life Staff8813 at http://www.maclife.comHow To Disable Java in your Mac Web Browserhttp://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_disable_java_your_mac_web_browser
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u12635/no_java_large.png" width="380" height="275" /><br /> <br /> With the announcement of a potentially harmful <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_releases_new_information_about_boonana_trojan_virus" target="_blank">virus</a> floating about the internet this week, many Mac users have been weary of watching online videos via links to external sites, especially those on social networking websites like Facebook. However, this virus can be all but stopped by simply turning off Java code execution in your web browser of choice, according to <a href="http://www.securemac.com/boonana-bulletin.php" target="_blank">SecureMac</a>. That’s why we would like to show you how easy it can be to protect yourself from Java-based viruses originating from your web browser through applets. <br /> <br /></p><h2>Disabling Java Execution in Safari</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/disable_java_safari_large.png"><img src="/files/u12635/disable_java_safari_large.png" width="380" height="299" class="thickbox" /></a><br />Apple makes it extremely easy to turn off Java code execution in Safari. Simply head over to Safari &gt; Preferences and click on the Security tab. From here, locate the checkbox labeled “Enable Java” under the Web Content section. Uncheck that box. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Disabling Java Execution in Chrome</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/disable_java_chrome_large.png"><img src="/files/u12635/disable_java_chrome_large.png" width="380" height="263" class="thickbox" /></a><br /></strong></p><p>Google also makes disabling Java in Chrome relatively easy. To start, open Chrome and navigate to “about:plugins”. From this page listing all of your installed plugins, locate the plugin called “Java” with a description of “Java Plug-In 2 for NPAPI Browsers.” Underneath the plugin listing, click the Disable link to have the Java functionality in Chrome disabled.</p><p><br />When you do this, the settings will be saved and Java code execution from within Chrome will be disabled.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Disabling Java Execution in Firefox</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u12635/disable_java_firefox_large.png"><img src="/files/u12635/disable_java_firefox_large.png" width="380" height="291" class="thickbox" /></a><br />Like Chrome, Firefox’s Java functionality is hidden in the plugins section. To disable Java in Firefox, navigate to Tools menu &gt; Add-ons &gt; Plugins tab. Once there, locate the plugin called Java Embedding Plugin. Click it, and then select the Disable button to have this functionality disabled. You may also have a plugin called Java Plug-In 2 for NPAPI Browsers; you can disable this plugin, too. <br /><br />There you have it, a way to turn off Java applet execution in three of the most popular browsers on the Mac. This should keep away the currently rampant Mac virus, but if you believe your Mac has been infected by the Mac virus, you should visit SecureMac to download a <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_releases_new_information_about_boonana_trojan_virus" target="_blank">free virus removal tool</a> to check.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon</a></em><em><a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank"> on Twitter</a>.</em><br /><br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_disable_java_your_mac_web_browser#commentschromeFirefoxJavaMacMac How-TosSafariSecureMacSecuritythreattrojanTrojan horseVirusMacHow-TosFri, 29 Oct 2010 22:47:46 +0000Cory Bohon8764 at http://www.maclife.comSecureMac Releases New Information About Boonana Trojan Virushttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_releases_new_information_about_boonana_trojan_virus
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u12635/virus_removal_screen_securemac.jpg" width="380" height="189" /></p><p>We told you about the Boonana Trojan Mac virus that was discovered by <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/security_alert_new_trojan_horse_mac_os_x_spread_through_social_networks" target="_blank">SecureMac just yesterday</a>. SecureMac has now completed its initial analysis of the virus and has new information about it, as well as a removal tool if you believe your Mac is infected.</p><p>According to the company's security bulletin, "The initial infection vector of the Boonana trojan is through a message on social networking sites similar to "Is this you in this video?" which includes a link to an external site. Upon clicking the link, a java applet will attempt to load in the user's web browser. During our testing, the malicious Java applet communicated with a Command &amp; Control server, and presented an installer window at a random time after accessing the malicious site. This installer did not indicate that it had been downloaded from the web which indicates it is avoiding the quarantine flag typically set by programs such as Safari."</p><p>This virus is still listed as a critical security threat due to the fact that the control servers are still operational. SecureMac notes that this means that servers could be gathering information from infected computers like IP Addresses, and potentially the modification of sudoers file that would allow passwordless access to any potentially infected machines. It is thought that this trojan virus could be used for control purposes.</p><p>"In many cases, especially with botnets, the malware might not initially exhibit malicious behavior, but can become active at any time as the command and control servers are updated," notes SecureMac in the updated bulletin.</p><p>You can read the provided by SecureMac by <a href="http://www.securemac.com/boonana-info.php" target="_blank">clicking here</a>, and you can also keep an eye out on the <a href="http://www.securemac.com/boonana-bulletin.php" target="_blank">SecureMac bulletin page</a> where future updates on this virus will be posted. If you believe your Mac is infected with this virus, you can try running the removal tool found on the bulletin page or by clicking here to <a href="http://macscan.securemac.com/files/BTRT.dmg" target="_blank">directly download the tool</a>.</p><p>For more information about the virus stay tuned to <em>Mac|Life</em>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a></em>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_releases_new_information_about_boonana_trojan_virus#commentsNewsApple Inc.BoonanaSecureMacSecuritythreatTrojan horseVirusMacThu, 28 Oct 2010 21:20:31 +0000Cory Bohon8758 at http://www.maclife.comSecureMac Offers Free MacScan App for Talk Like a Pirate Dayhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_offers_free_macscan_app_talk_pirate_day
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u12635/macscan_free_pirate_day_large.png" width="380" height="297" /></p><p>Avast me <em>Mac|Life</em> maties! International Talk Like a Pirate Day be upon us, and SecureMac, makers of MacScan, be leaving the plunderin' up to anyone that wants some free software. Beware those that may enter, however, as this offer is only good for today.</p><p>So, even though <a href="http://www.talklikeapirate.com/" target="_blank">Talk like a Pirate Day</a> was yesterday (September 19th), <a href="http://macscan.securemac.com/securemac-offers-macscan-for-free-in-honor-of-pirate-day/#more-110" target="_blank">SecureMac</a> still wants to celebrate by giving away a free copy of MacScan to anyone.</p><p>MacScan is an application that "detects, isolates and removes malware such as keystroke loggers, Trojan horses, and malware." But it also has a blacklisted tracking cookie feature that can detect and remove those tricky computer germs tracking your online activity.</p><p>Getting the free copy of MacScan is very simple. Just go to the <a href="http://macscan.securemac.com/" target="_blank">MacScan website</a> and download the free trial. After installing the application, launch it and select purchase, then enter the coupon code "PIRATE". This will discount the $29.99 application to $0.00 (a price that anyone could appreciate).</p><p>According to SecureMac, "There are no update fees, yearly fees, or other fees for MacScan, this is a free copy of MacScan for one day only. Users may only receive one single user copy of MacScan for free and the copies are non-transferable."</p><p>This offer will only be available until Midnight PST on Monday, September 20, 2010.</p><p>You can find more information about this special offer by going to the <a href="http://macscan.securemac.com/securemac-offers-macscan-for-free-in-honor-of-pirate-day/#more-110" target="_blank">SecureMac website</a>.</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://twitter.com/coryb" target="_blank">Cory Bohon on Twitter</a></em>.<br /><br /></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/securemac_offers_free_macscan_app_talk_pirate_day#commentsNewsAppFreemacscanoffersSecureMacsoftwaretalk like a pirate dayVirusMacMon, 20 Sep 2010 19:47:55 +0000Cory Bohon8286 at http://www.maclife.com